Bow handrest

ABSTRACT

A bow handrest attached to the handle of a bow by an adjustable rod which extends along the string and is offset to accurately position the fingers of the person to prevent the string from being pulled to one side or the other.

United States Patent 1 1 3,557,769

[72] Inventor Russell N. Hofmeister [56] References Cited W359, UNITED STATES PATENTS QEA' 3: 2,664,078 12/1953 Irwin 124/35x 45 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 3 32 2113?? 3 2 [73] Assignee Herters, Inc.

waseca Minn. 2,954,765 10/1960 124/23 3,015,328 1/1962 Ryder 124/30 3 M'nnesma 3,135,255 6/1964 Hoyt 124/24 3,171,397 3/1965 Daly 124/24 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Browne 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs. AttorneyWilliamson, Palmatier & Bains {52] US. Cl 124/24,

124/30 ABSTRACT: A bow handrest attached to the handle of a bow [51] Int. Cl F4lb 5/00 by an adjustable rod which extends along the string and is off- [50] Field of Search 124/23, 24, set to accurately position the fingers of the person to prevent 30, 35 the string from being pulled to one side or the otherv PATENTEnJmsm 3.557.769

2 INVIfN'IOR.

P035541. M HOFME/STEE BOW HANDREST An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved bow handrest of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel bow handrest supported by a rod attached to the handle of the bow, the rod being offset at a position beyond the location to which the string is drawn in unique position.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a novel bow handrest against which the'palm of the shooters hand is rested after the string is drawn so that his fingers may continue to hold the string in drawn position for a period of 15 to 30 seconds or more while the arm and shoulder muscles may be relieved of tension so as to avoid the natural tendency to start shaking when arm and shoulder muscles are held in tensed condition for too long a period of time.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the present invention attached to an archery bow.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the present invention with the bow shown in sections, and with a portion of the rod broken away.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section view taken at 3-3 in FIG. 2.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein.

The bow may be of any conventional bow construction, and a rather typical hunting bow is illustrated. The bow 10 has a handle portion 11 and an arrow rest 12.

Of course, the bow has a string 13 which is used to flex the bow and to propel the arrow to be shot. The string will be drawn to the dotted line position 13' when an arrow is to be shot. Of course, the bow itself flexes, somewhat as illustrated in the dotted line position. It is important to note that a bow may accommodate arrows of various lengths, and ordinarily the string and arrow are drawn until the head of the arrow is closely adjacent the arrow rest. Therefore, in certain instances, the string may be drawn to one position and in other instances may be drawn to a different position, depending upon the length of the arrow being used.

The present invention is attached to the bow l0 and comprises a handrest 14 molded or shaped to conform to the shape of a persons hand H used to draw the string and arrow to shooting position. Ordinarily, when the string is drawn to the dotted line position 13' thereof, the first three fingers, the index, middle and ring fingers, are used to draw the string, and the fingers F as illustrated are ordinarily flexed substantially in the position shown. The handrest 14 is attached to an elongate rod 15, the inner end of which extends into a tubular socket 16 of a bracket 17 which is affixed as by screws to the handle of the bow, at the side opposite the arrow rest 12. The tubular socket 16 has a plurality of apertures 18 therein to align with corresponding apertures 19 in the inner end of the rod so as to accept and retain removable pins 20 for holding the rod 15 in the desired position. The inner end of the rod 15 may be entirely telescoped within the tubular socket 16, or may be only partially inserted therein, so as to adjust the distance between the handrest 14 and the handle 11 of the bow.

It will be noted that the rod 15 has an offset 15a therein positioned immediately adjacent the handrest 14 and beyond the maximum position of the bow string in drawn position 13'. The offset 15a locates the handrest 14 directly behind the sligplery characteristics and known by its trademark TEF LON. 1S handrest serves the purpose of supporting the person s hand H after the string is drawn to the shooting position so as to permit the string to be held in this position for a matter of several seconds. In doing so, the string is drawn with the index and middle fingers on opposite sides of the rod 15 and then as the fully drawn position 13' is reached, the person's hand is slipped over the handrest 14 into the position shown in H0. 2. Thereupon, the tension in the upper arm muscles and shoulder muscles of the person are relieved and the entire pull of the string is carried by the persons hand for the few seconds during which the string is held. The string may be effectively held for a time long enough to allow a moving target to get into shootable range, and if the target is wild game, the shooter may hold a very stationary position during the last critical seconds to avoid detection by the game. This type of a handrest does not involve any mechanical device for holding the string and therefore is in no sense comparable to a crossbow and is legal and in practically all states. It is'important to note that the bow and string are hand held at all times, and that there is nothing to interfere with a normal operation of the bow, and the string is drawn to its normal drawn position without being moved to either side.

if longer or shorter arrows are to be used, the effective position of the handrest 14 with respect to the handle 11 may be changed by removing the pins 20 and adjusting the rod 15 to a different position in the socket 16, and then the pins 20 may be reinserted to retain the rod 15 in the newly adjusted position. It is important to note that the offset 15a permits the normal drawn position of the string to be in a predetermined and constant relationship to the handrest 14 so that the shooter can get the exact feel of the string which is important in order to properly release the string and arrow to get the flight characteristics of the arrow that are desired.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

lclaim:

1. in an archery bow:

the improvement comprising a handrest shaped to comfortably fit the palm of the hand used to draw the string and arrow to shooting position, the handrest being farther from the bow handle than the maximum drawn position of the string to facilitate holding the person's fingers on the string in natural position;

a bracket on the bow handle at the side opposite the arrow rest and having a rod mounting socket confronting the bow string; said socket having a plurality of transverse holes therein;

an elongate rigid rod mounted in said socket and extending to the handrest and being spaced to one side of the string, the rod being offset immediately adjacent the handrest to be in noninterfering relation with the string in shooting position and with the string-holding fingers of the persons hand supported on the handrest; the inner end of the rod also having a transverse hole therethrough; and

a removable pin extending through aligned holes in the socket and rod and securing the rod in a desired position. 

1. In an archery bow: the improvement comprising a handrest shaped to comfortably fit the palm of the hand used to draw the string and arrow to shooting position, the handrest being farther from the bow handle than the maximum drawn position of the string to facilitate holding the person''s fingers on the string in natural position; a bracket on the bow handle at the side opposite the arrow rest and having a rod mounting socket confronting the bow string; said socket having a plurality of transverse holes therein; an elongate rigid rod mounted in said socket and extending to the handrest and being spaced to one side of the string, the rod being offset immediately adjacent the handrest to be in noninterfering relation with the string in shooting position and with the string-holding fingers of the person''s hand supported on the hAndrest; the inner end of the rod also having a transverse hole therethrough; and a removable pin extending through aligned holes in the socket and rod and securing the rod in a desired position. 